The Baccarat table is usually in a separate section of the casino. The table itself has the shape of a long hour-glass. The middle area is where the caller and 2 dealers are situated. The responsibility of each dealer is to manage the bets of his side of the table, while the caller directs the gameplay. There are up to 14 seats for the players, although the numbered positions on the table are from 1 to 15, with 13 being omitted as it is considered to be unlucky. In front of each player is the area for placing bets, consisted of three betting options: “Players”, “Bankers” and “Tie”. The won and lost bets are handled by the dealers, who also keep track of the commission owed by the each player to the house, using an area, at the center of the table, intended for that purpose.

Baccarat Table Layout

The Fundamentals

The basic principle of the game is to have a pip count of 9 or lower. Usually, each player takes a turn in dealing the cards, but in some casinos there is an assigned card dealer. The game can be played with six to eight decks of cards, which are placed in a box that is called a “shoe”. The first better that starts as dealer is at position 1 on the table. After his turn is done, the role of banker (dealer) then passes to the right (counterclockwise) to the next player. Each better can chose to accept to be banker or to pass to the next player. The banker continues to deal until he loses a hand and then the shoe is passed to the next player.

There are three possible bets to make: “player” (Punto), “banker” (Banco) and the rarely considered “tie” (Standoff). Each player can bet on the hand he thinks would win or on whether the two will tie. The winning hand is the one with the highest count (as nine being the highest). The banker can bet on any outcome, but it is customary that he places his bet on Banco.

Two hands are dealt, each comprising of 2 cards. The players first make their bets and then the banker deals one card face down to the caller, one card face down to himself and one more to each. The caller passes his hand to the better with the highest bet on Punto, who takes the role of “player”. If there haven’t been any bets on “player”, this role is taken by the caller. After the dealing is done, the cards are revealed starting with the player and then the banker. In cases of the pip count of either hand being 8 or 9, no more cards are dealt and the hand is called a “natural”, winning the game immediately. If none of the hands is a natural, a third card might be dealt, which is done according to certain rules.

The Rules

Value

The card suits in Baccarat are irrelevant. The value of each card is as follows:

• Cards from 2 to 9 count as their face value
• Aces have the value of 1
• 10s and face cards have the value of 0. Every combination of two cards that reaches the value of ten or exceeds it loses the first digit of its value, as 9 is the highest score in the game.

Naturals

The "natural" is a hand of the first two cards, having the value of 8 or 9. If scoring a natural, the hand wins the game immediately. If both banker and player have a natural, the highest hand wins. If the value of both naturals is the same, the result is considered to be a tie and all players who have placed a bet on either hand receive the bet back.

Third-card Rules

If neither hand is a natural, a third card could be dealt to both banker and player. The third-card rules are automatically applied, so it is not necessary to be very well acquainted with them. The player goes first as directed from the caller. If the player has a point of 5 or less, he draws another card. In case the player doesn't wish to draw a third card, then the bank's hand stands on 6 or more, taking a third card on a total of 5 or less. If the player has a 6 or 7, he stands on that amount. If the player has drawn a third card, the following rules apply whether the bank has to draw a third card or not:

• The bank has a total of 2 or less – another card is drawn for the bank, regardless of the third card of the player.
• The bank has a total of 3 – another card is drawn for the bank. If the third card of the player was an 8, the bank doesn’t draw a third card.
• The bank has a total of 4 – another card is drawn for the bank. If the third card of the player was a 0, 1, 8 or 9, the bank doesn’t draw a third card.
• The bank has a total of 5 - another card is drawn for the bank. If the third card of the player was a 4, 5, 6 or 7, the bank doesn’t draw a third card.
• The bank has a total of 6 - another card is drawn for the bank. If the third card of the player was a 6 or 7, the bank doesn’t draw a third card.
• The bank has a total of – the bank stands.